St Moritz next stop for World Match Racing Tour

by Sean McNeill on 15 Aug 2006 The fourth annual St. Moritz Match Race features the battle for the title 'King of the Mountain.' American Ed Baird, a helmsman for the Alinghi syndicate, is the reigning champion. Raced on Lake St. Moritz, the event is unique to the World Tour. Most of the boats used are 35- to 40-foot keelboats. St. Moritz features the Streamline 7.15 – a 24-foot, three-person, trapeze keelboat – which challenges skippers to stay on their feet. The lake is at an elevation of 5,624 feet (1,856 meters), making it possibly the highest-elevated match race regatta in the world.

The St. Moritz Match Race, Stage 3 of the 2006-’07 World Tour, staged in St. Moritz, Switzerland from Aug. 15-20, 2006.

The event is organised by the Sailing Club St. Moritz. The Prize Purse - SFr150,000 (approximately $121,000)

Who's Entered?

Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza — Afterguard member and coach for South African America’s Cup syndicate

Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi — Reigning event champion

Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Wianno Mercedes Benz – Placed 4th at ACI Cup in March

Sébastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge — Placed 7th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05

Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team — Helmsman for Italian America’s Cup syndicate

Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST — Reigning World champion, placed 6th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05

Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi — Placed 8th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05

Mark Mendelblatt (USA) — Two-time event champion, finished runner-up in ’05

Eric Monnin (SUI) Team Monnin — Placed 9th at St. Moritz Match Race ’05

Phillippe Presti (FRA) Luna Rossa Challenge — Afterguard member of Italian America’s Cup syndicate

Arnaud Psarophagis (SUI) Team Psarophagis — Winner 2005 UBS Alinghi Swiss Tour, Swiss national match-racing championship

Jochen Schuemann (GER) Alinghi — Member of Alinghi afterguard

Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team — Navigator for Chinese America’s Cup challenge

Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing — Placed 4th at 2005 St. Moritz Match Race

The fourth annual St. Moritz Match Race features the battle for the title 'King of the Mountain.' American Ed Baird, a helmsman for the Alinghi syndicate, is the reigning champion. Raced on Lake St. Moritz, the event is unique to the World Tour. Most of the boats used are 35- to 40-foot keelboats.

St. Moritz features the Streamline 7.15 – a 24-foot, three-person, trapeze keelboat – which challenges skippers to stay on their feet. The lake is at an elevation of 5,624 feet (1,856 meters), making it possibly the highest-elevated match race regatta in the world.

At Stage 2 Jes Gram-Hansen took the lead for the World Championship when he placed third at the Danish Open, Stage 2 of the 2006-’07 World Tour. With 27 points Gram-Hansen leads two skippers by 2 points, including Danish Open champion Sébastian Col, who is entered in St. Moritz.

Skippers earn points towards the world championship at the nine events of the World Tour and the highest scoring skipper at the end of the season is the ISAF Match Racing World Champion. The World Champion wins a BMW partner and official car BMW and a cash bonus from the World Tour.

The World Tour is sanctioned by ISAF, sailing’s world governing body. World Tour sponsors include Sebago (Rockford, Mich.), the Official Footwear Supplier, Travel Places (West Sussex, England), the Official Travel Partner, and Wedgwood (Stoke-on-Trent, England), the Official Trophy Sponsor.

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, please visit the official World Tour Web site, www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com. World Match Racing Tour television programs may be viewed on demand by clicking on the television icon on the home page of the Web site.